A site for my handmade cards, accompanied by my photos and written meanderings which are occasionally witty, often tongue-in-cheek, and rarely profound. Beginning in June 2013, you'll also see lots of NBUS, which is an acronym I coined for Never-Before-Used-Schtuff. Note: my Privacy Policy can be found at a tab below. Thanks for coming by! Have a beverage and enjoy!

MOJO #300; NBUS #16; SOS #108; WOYWW #213 ~ Happy Fourth!

As you can see, I'm showcasing l.o.v.e. again this week because yesterday was my birthday and folks do like to see their beautiful cards take center stage! And well they should! Thank you to my sisters and friends and bloggie friends Karen, Bonnie, Brenda, and Bev. You can also see some fantastic crocheted mats by Jessi and card candy by Loll! Thank you all so much for your sweet cards and/or birthday wishes, both yesterday and last week on WOYWW!

We are still sweltering (and still waiting for those landscape rocks!) so the poor plants are having a tough time. One particular sensitive pot gets a daily sunbrella.

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I loved this quote from the card I received from my SIL:

Front: "So you're another year older. Hey, look at the bright side."

Inside: "Okay. There is no bright side. There's a bright light, but you're gonna want to stay away from that."

Birthday Gadget

As I was saying, yesterday I happily turned 46 and I still have that problem with number dyslexia. I got to thinkering about all the times I've read on a blog "yesterday was my birthday" or "last week was my birthday" and how I wished I'd have known in time to wish them solicitations.

So, in my never-ending quest to come up with never-ending ways to stir things up: Why don't we all just put a 'text gadget' on our sidebars that states our birthdates?

I mean, why are we so shy about it? I totally understand the feeling of not wanting to "toot your own horn," but it's not like we had any say about our birthdates. I mean, right? And we all have them. (Oh, my candles and icing, thank goodness for that!) So why not put it out there and graciously accept all the love and good wishes that will come forth on your special day?

Well, now that I've put it that way . . . !

I'm leading the way. On my salad side bar you will see my birthdate, right under my bloggie followers adorable little faces. I hope you'll do the same! You don't have to say the year, nor how old you are, just the month and day.

I know nothing about Wordpress, but if you would like info on how to get your birthdate gadget added on Blogger, just let me know in your comment or email me at the address on my profile page.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

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The next stop on your visit here is a card I made for a challenge, so this would be a good place to hop off if you want to move on to visiting other WOYWWers. Thank you for popping in to visit and for letting me know you did, so I can return the flavor!!

BTW, if you don't know what the heck WOYWW is and you want to join in the fun, see more desks, and show us yours, click over to the beneviolet Ms. Julia Dunnit's What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday for all the details.

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MOJO Monday

My card today took me pretty far outside and around the corner from my usual CAS (clean and simple) comfort zone. One of the first challenges I played in when I started my blog was MOJO Monday's sketch challenge. This week they are celebrating their 300th challenge and I really wanted to join in. Congratulations, ladies! That is sensational!!

You'll want to check them out if you don't already know about this site. Also, for this challenge, there are lots of incredible prizes being offered!

Here is the sketch:

And here, in honor of America's Fourth of July holiday, is my card:

I made both the star and the striped background paper:

I used the top of a spool of Washi tape for my circle because it fell off and anywhos, I was too lazy to cut a circle with my die. I striped it with various widths of the tape. I embossed the sentiment, used sparkly Washi tape for the fishtail banner, and added ATYOU sparkle pens to my fireworks, so this card has lots and lots of sparkle and shazzaz!

The NBUS (never-before-used-schtuff) on my card is the fireworks stamp which is from The Alley Way Stamps set "Ka-Pow." (Thank you and good job to those of you who are also working on using your NBUS!)

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Shopping Our Stash (SOS)

I've just noticed I can also enter my card in a brand-new challenge to me: Shopping Our Stash where this week the theme is "Red, White, Blue, or Your Flag Colors." Perfect! I love the idea of this challenge and I'm glad to finally be joining in!

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Enjoy your day! No, seriously, enjoy. LITS*! I hope it has lots of sparkle and shazzaz!

As always, thank you for coming by to visit the Playhouse and special thanks to you if you take the time to leave a comment and/or join as a follower!

I have just had a good laugh reading what was in the card from your sister in lawI love 4 July card you have madeI wish I was your next door neighbour and could come round to your house and craft!!!!!!! Your garden looks lovely and I think the idea of the umbrella is greatJackie 38

HAPPPY BIRTHDAY! And stay away from the light. I'm still giggling about that one. AWESOME card :) I really love the birthday idea - if I'd known it was your special day...how many times I've thought that. So, genius!Love the clever recycling (hey, it wanted to be re-used that way, that's why it fell off) and the super sparkly fireworks!

Beautiful card Darnell and I love all the elements that you made! I'd also like to send you warm birthday wishes....even if I am a little late.....I really hope that you had a great day and some spoiling went on! Congrats also on your card being featured at muse...so well deserved:) Big hugs xx

Have a brilliant day and enjoy the birthday wishes!!! Love your site and was dreaming of your playhouse yesterday as I looked at the dismal selection in a local garden centre. Nowhere near as nice as yours! Happy WOYWW! ♥ Karen ♥ 96 x

ah Darnell soooo glad you ad a very happy birthday and yes love the card.

.. and use of washi tape, sorry always freaks out when see folks using it like that .. see it is so dear it seems over here, but maybe not over there. I see some on you tube even using it to hold dies or masks in place that totally freaks me out as wasteful... but on cards like yours now that is wonderful..

Happy birthday, Darnell!! Yes a day late so I'll be joining you with the salad bar button. :) Love the card and will be back later to enlarge and view the b-day cards. Have a happy week. Happy WOYWW! Nan G #25

I wish I had known it was your birthday yesterday!! I would have created a special card for you! Hope you had (to quote you) a "fanflippingtastic" birthday! I like your idea about the birthdate gadget. Great card for Mojo Monday, by the way. :-)

Happy Birthday for yesterday Darnell! Great idea to put birthday in sidebar! And I love the way you're looking after that plant! The weathermen say it's going to get warm here next week - let's hope they're right for a change.

You are the Washi queen!!! I noticed your birdie Washi shout out at Muse too!! And it's going to be fun to see how fast your birthday gadget idea takes off!! Particularly since I was annoyed that I didn't know yesterday was your birthday and you dealt with it in the very next paragraph!! (Now how are you going to get us all to publish our addresses for birthday cards?? I'm thinking I'm seeing you raising your hand to volunteer to become birthday central with all of our info??!!). Hey! happy Birthday!! I like your dyslexia idea and I bet you can even pull it off!!

Secondly, love the idea of a sunbrella for your plants, I could do with a couple of wall mounted ones!

The greeting from you SIL genuinely made me LOL. I am going to be 46 on 25th October - if you'd like to make a note - but I have decided that I'm actually quite happy being 45 so I've decided not to add any more years to my tally - at least until someone notices!

Happy Birthday Darnell! Love your patriotic creation, wonderful take on the sketch. I especially like how you recycled the cardboard from your washi roll. I save my cardboard too though I wasn't sure why, now I know!

Happy, belated, birthday!!! I will think about stating it on my sidebar (I do have a lot going on there already, so I it might be too much and get 'lost' there...) I LOVE the cards you received and I LOVE the card you made, that star-stamp is awesome!

Yes have to agree with Shaz its totally so expensive here in Australia the washi tape.. I have dabbled at making my own and that's fun. Love your card its very 4th of July just perfect hope you have a great 4th.. Happy Birthday for Yesterday as well.. Looks like you got some beautiful cards. Happy WOYWWSandy :) #42

Darnell I laughed out loud at the card quote that you shared, that is the funniest! Happy Belated birthday my friend I hope you had a wonderful day. When ii see your photos peeking out the window I would love to come see your utopia myself! Gorgeous. Love the umbrella shade for your 'particularly sensitive pot'! --Hugs!

Hi Darnell - I will put my birth date right out there with you LOL... and thanks for sharing Mojo Mondays link - looks like a fab site... Happy WOYWW - you are my first visit cos you were first in line on my blog reading list and now I am too tired to go anywhere else tonight LOL... Mxx #103 [for now!!]

We seem to share an 'almost together' bday...just a few days - many years - apart! Happy Belated!!Hope it was grand. Would love to have instructions for adding the blogger bday thing-y. Also since I'm working on webmail acct, not my usual when at home, I will say I handled my TODO list this morning, gave instructions so hope it's done properly. Lastly I LOVE how you made your beautiful card. One of the neat finds of my trip so far, has been some diff patterns of washi than what I've seen at home. Lovely view outside your window too. And again,big hugs & wishes for your birthday.

Happy belated birthday blessings Darnell!! Fun idea with the birthday gadget, I'll have to look for it to start popping up all over blogland! Fun festive fourth of July card,great use of the washi tape!!

I hope you had a lovely Birthday Darnell, and that a great idea to put it on our blogs, Will add mine later. Love your garden pics- over here the only reason we'd have an umbrella over a pot would be to stop the poor thing from drowning, lol! Have a great week, Hugs, Shaz #41 xx

So much to say . . . congrats on the Muse win . . . love your SIL's card (really did LOL) . . . can't believe I toss ribbon spools when I could use them on a card . . . love the bright, festive 4th of July card . . . shading your plant also made me LOL (a neighbor took down 2 trees that shaded part of our yard & we have sadly lost every plant impacted) . . . and lastly Belated Happy Birthday!!

Hi Darnell, sounds like you had a fun birthday. Love the cards on your desk. I also LOVE the Mojo Monday card, good use of the sketch. It is sweltering here in NYC too. Check my blog tomorrow, as I have a 4th of July special posting...Cx #122

Hiya and belated birthday greetings. Sorry to have missed it. Think your idea is a good one. No idea how to do it though. Fab cards you got. Love the card you made for 4th July. Hope you have a great time celebrating.I'm sorry I didn't visit last week.I did link then went back to start visiting my link had disappeared. Intended then to just visit a few of ones I follow regularly but was so tied up with helping mum I didn't manage it. Anne x #65 (hopefully :-) )

What a great idea to temporarily shade a sensitive plant! I don't have any myself, they all died off awhile ago. lol Love the 4th card, too and good on you using your NBUS. :) Have a happy and safe 4th dear! Deeyll #123

A huge Happy Birthday, Darnell. I would sing but it's not pretty so I'll send you a birthday hug instead. I hope you were thoroughly spoilt. What lovely cards you received and you are so right. We keep our birthdays quiet, suddenly mention it after the day and then it's gone. I don't think we like to blow our own trumpets do we. I love the fact that your plant has to have an umbrella for the sun, that's a hoot. We'd have to have it to shelter from the rain here in the UK although they are promising us a bit of Summer at the weekend so I've got my chair and suncream at the ready!!!!A very Happy 4th July for tomorrow.Hugs Lisax #72

Happy Birthday Day, Darnell! I'm a day late, but look - I'm the 46th person - same *age* as your birthday - so I feel a bit better about being tardy (but not much!) Glad you posted your b-d date - excellent reminder - and your reason for doing so: wonderful!! From post, to card, to photos - yet again sparkles added to my day!! Hugs to you from the now-sweltering Canadian Rockies!!c

Happy Belated Birthday to you! You received some lovely cards there, and You also made a great card too. I like how you used the paper spool top to wrap your tape to create your card...neat idea...and great recycle idea...tfs.

I'm sorry I missed your birthday - so Happy Belated! I'll never forget it again because it happens to be my oldest grandson's birthday. I was going to ask if you were 28 like he is but you already spilled the beans on that one. I like the idea of putting our birth dates on the blog and I think I know how to do that. What I don't know is how to put my email address on my profile.

Mojo Monday was one of the first sketch challenges I did, too, but haven't lately since I went over to the CAS side. I'm heading over there to check it out. Your card looks great, very patriotic!

Hope you had the happiest birthday Dippy and that you were spoilt rotten be Mister and the rest of the gang! Did you get any crafty stash? So glad my card arrived okay - wasn't sure it would get there on time. Love your 4th July card.....those fireworks look like something from a Superman comic......biff, powww etc! lol Hope you have a wonderful holiday tomorrow.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DARNELL!!If'n I had your address, you'da had a card in your box!Great card, and I'm loving how you used that washi tape!Have a bang-up of a July 4th weekend and have fun!! Birthday {{hugs}}

Happy Birthday and thanks for sharing all your awesome cards! I love your SIL's card, I'm still laughing (thinking of the movie A Bug's Life...stay away from the light). Thank you for showing how you made that wonderful 4th of July card. I am learning about cardmaking from the WOYWWers! Not that I need another craft...but it can come in handy and looks like lots of fun! Have a great WOYWW and a safe 4th! Hopefully it will cool down, we've been caught in this heat wave too! Rasz #125

I agree with Kim S., you are the Washi Tape Queen in my book, you are really have done some amazing things with it. Your card is so fun and very festive for Independence Day tomorrow. I feel so bad, I completely lost track of your birthday and feel like a horrible friend! With all this time off, I can't keep up with those things...so sorry. Wishing you the happiest of birthdays and in my book you need to celebrate all month long, and scene you are turning 46, all the more reason to party all month long!

I did not know it was your birthday. Shame on me. Happy Birthday to you, and many many more. You will be happy to know that I am older than you. There--that little ditty was my gift to you. Fabbo card, too.

I think your idea is a wonderful idea so much so that I am being really bold and out there and done straight away what you suggested. It is a simple style and that's ok. As for all that desk candy you are one really lucky girl. Great idea for shading the plants with the umberella and you do have a really beautiful garden.

Well, the beneviolet part of me wants to wish you a HAppy 4th of July, becaue I'm late enough to do that.. And I'm later enough to wish you Happy Returns. I kinda like your birthday widget thing..you are dead right about wishing I'd known in advance.... Meanwhile...am also loving all the useless acronyms in your post. And your sister's birthday card. She knows you, huh!

Hope your birthday celebrations are really special. Your cards certainly are, and I love that umbrella for the special plant. Thank you for your visit and encouraging words. The support of all my crafting friends added to my family and friends here has been a great comfort. I am off in a minute for my relaxing massage to try to release the tension in my shoulders, then for a relaxing hair wash and cut. I might sleep all afternoon after that lot. Have a good week. xx Maggie #3

Happy belated birthday, Darnell! Your WOYWW is awesome! Love the snooping part (LOL)!! And your 4th of July card is amazing! LOVE that diecut--genius idea with the tape! Thanks for the blog love about the RIC challenge! Your comment makes me smile BIG!

Found you!! Thanks for your lovely comments on my card- I think your July 4th card is awesome too! Love the washi treatment- looks like you might be a washi Queen! Happy belated Birthday - think its a brilliant idea about the birthdays!

These are the things I've remembered (age can do that to you!)after having scrolled though a million well deserved belated birthday wishes!! Happy Belated Birthday, Darnell, hope you had a truly wonderful day ... your cards and gifts in the WOYWW photo look lovely! SIL's card quote ... still laughing at that one! Your card ... so celebratory, sparkley deliciousness and yes, you are THE washi tape queen! Hope your 4th celebrations are in full swing! Anita :)

Harpey Burpday to Ewe Darnell! It is not late. In our house Birfdays last for at least a munf! It is still mine too as it aint a munf yet since mine!Love that quote from your SIL! Tee Hee! I might have to use that one! Hugs to you. Now enuff of being nice.....wherez the cake?xx

Hi Darnell, Hope you had a great Birthday. It was my daughters birthday on the same day. That is a great quote in your SIL card, love it! What a great idea the Birthday text gadget is. I am not the best on a computer so yes I would like some info on how to get the Birthdate gadget, please. Love your god bless America card, and happy 4th of July to you.HugsLottie x

Oh my!! I never thought I was going to get to the end of all those commets!!Brilliant card, it's unmistakable as a july 4th card with all those stars and I love the washi stripes too :0)Belated Birthday wishes..... that's jammy having a birthday so close to Independence Day ... you can fireworks every year!!!Jenny x

Holy shmoly look at all the comments, Happy WOw, Happy Birthday and Happy 4th of July, hope all those happys you got in all the comments keeps you happy till next week:O) your card is Bang up, wonderful make. Nice of you to cover your plant aahh, but it would be ME under it, if I was to go out in your sweltering heat, probably not, plant can keep it, LOL..What a lovely arrangement of cards, beautiful hand made ones, heartfelt ones, and those bathing beauties is so kool.Whatcha doing with all those doilies :)..I'd love to put my BD on my blog, not too tech savvy, when you have a min you busy woman I would appreciate the help, no hurry mines not till Dec. Thanks for the laughs the inspiration, hope you have a fabulous weekend..

I just love your 4th July card!I just had a bigger birthday so not going to worry about age now. Will have to think of it as a year nearer to giving up work and being able to craft full time!Thank you for visiting.Karen #55

AGH! I can't believe I didn't know when your birthday is! I can't believe I missed it! We may just have to extend it for a few days! I love your patriotic card - you're really rocking the washi and I love the explosion of colours on the white and black background!

Well,belated birthday greetings from me. You have some lovely cards there to showcase.Love your 4th July card, that is really cool!Have done the FS blog on white since you told me about problems with other backgrounds.Sorry I am so late - I've just been prioritising my class prep - hope I am forgiven.Thanks so much for visiting me, I will try to do better next week.Hugs, Neet xx

Well A very BIG and belated HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAY. I hope you had a fabulous day and never stopped smiling. By the looks of your very neat, very Tidy and very organized desk, you have a testimony as to how much you are loved. That's a good day. (I am jealous about your wonderfully bright tidy, organized space) I'm currently working at my coffee table, which needs painting, and there is no organization, I have boxes, and bags of stuff all around me. Well it is an organized mess, cuz I can find things I am looking for. Anyway… I am off god knows where. Thanks for bringing us into your work space. Sorry I rambled… I'm kinda chatty right now. It's 3:20 am, I should be sleeping. Anyhoo….Hope you have a great week. (((HUGS)))KimWOYWW#18

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About Me

I have been stamping and making cards since 2002. I've been married 47 years to Kevin, known herein as "Mister." Our son Daniel and his wife Rachel have twin sons Henry and Adam. Card-making and blogging are wonderful hobbies which have brought me noodles of friends! Oh, and I have an imaginary hamster named Hammy who keeps me in line. Thank you for visiting, joining, and commenting! It will be my pleasure to return the flavor!!